Shoki Kandjimi
RUNDU – Vendors at the Rundu Open Market have expressed their unhappiness with the current trading hours imposed on them by the town council and in compliance with the state of emergency Covid-19 regulations.
They claim that since the reopening of markets in Rundu, their businesses have not been performing well as they used to in the past. They believe that the new trading hours are not favourable for them to conduct their businesses.
Stage two of the post-lockdown period allows for the reopening of open markets under strict operating hours. Currently, open markets are only allowed to operate between 08:00 and 17:00. Previously, vendors could operate from 06:00 until 19:00.
Rosa Tvinngengo, a vendor at the open market, said since the lockdown measures were introduced by government, their businesses have been negatively affected and the new trading hours disadvantages them further. “Even with the newly-introduced trading hours, we only generate around N$10 and N$20 a day, which is not enough to buy meat or bread for our children. We are not happy with the new trading hours at all. By 17H00, we are expected to leave the open market,” Tvinngeno stressed. Martha Musore, a hairdresser at the same market, said when the market closes in the afternoon, she loses customers because that is the time many of her clients seek her services. “The new strict lockdown measures, which instruct us to close at 17:00, will not enable our clients to make use of our services and we are worried we will lose our clients,” Musore said.
The vendors urged the Rundu Town Council to reconsider its decision of the current trading hours and amend the trading hours from 06:00 to 19:00.
They further maintain they will adhere to the social distancing protocols should they be allowed to operate during these hours. Rundu Town Council administrator Sabastian Kantema indicated that the country is under a state of emergency; therefore, vendors should expect unusual trading hours as certain privileges were suspended. He added that these new trading hours are not only applicable to open markets in Rundu but the entire country. “A decision was taken that all open markets should operate from 08:00 to 17:00 to enable us to carefully monitor the operation of vendors at the open market,” Kantema said.